Pot spinning and twisting apparatus



Sept. 26', 1967' NUSSBAUM fol SPINNING AND TWISTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17, 1967 United States Patent 3,343,358 POT SPINNING AND TWISTING APPARATUS Lucian Nussbaum, Easley, S.C., assignor to Maremont Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 609,913 Claims. (Cl. 57-34) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application discloses a yarn twister frame or the like having one or more twisting units, each including a yarn input such as a pair of nip rolls, a pair of twisting pots and a yarn take-up in the form of a winder. The twisting units have pneumatic yarn feeding means for alternating the feeding of yarn from the yarn input means into one of the twisting pots While simultaneously feeding yarn from the other of the twisting pots to the yarn takeup means. In order to accomplish this, there are disclosed several elements in the form of, a pneumatic pot selection switch for receiving yarn from the yarn input means and directing it selectively toward one or the other of said twisting pots, a pneumatic yarn direction switch associated with each of the twisting pots selectively in a first mode receiving yarn from the pot selection switch and directing it to the associated twisting pot and in a second mode receiving yarn from its associated twisting pot and directing it to the yarn take-up means and a yarn severing knife located between the pot selection switch and each of the yarn direction switches. Two position electrical control means are provided for these elements operable in one position to operate one of the yarn severing knives to sever yarn extending from the pot selection switch to one of the twisting pots, to operate the yarn direction switch associated with said one twisting pot to direct the severed end of yarn exending from said one twisting pot to the yarn take-up means and to operate the pot selection switch to direct the severed end of yarn extending therefrom to the other twisting pot. In its other position, the electrical control means operates in the opposite sense to that above described.

This invention relates to textile machinery and more particularly to a spinning or twisting frame of the pot type.

Pot spinning or twisting frames, in which yarn is twisted by depositing it on the inner surface of a cylindrical container generally known as a pot, have long been known to have certain advantages over ring spinning or twisting frames especially in the production of soft yarns of low twist. Nevertheless, frames of the pot type have not been widely used, one major reason being the difficulties imposed by the necessity of rewinding from the pot to a suitable yarn take-up device, particularly as to control of the yarn during shifting from the twisting operation t0 the rewinding operation, which must be accomplished entirely automatically in order to be commercially practical.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide, in a pot spinning or twisting frame, novel yarn feeding means for controlling the yarn during shifting from the twisting operation to the spinning operation.

It is another major object of the invention to provide such yarn feeding means in a frame of the dual pot type, in which a pair of pots are alternately utilized for simultaneous twisting and rewinding.

These and other objects of vthe invention have been accomplished by providing, in a twister frame or the like having one or more twisting units each including a twisting pot having yarn input means and yarn take-up means therefor, according to the invention, novel yarn feeding 3,343,358 Patented Sept. 26, 1967 means, preferably pneumatic, for alternating the feeding of yarn from the yarn input means into the twisting pot and the feeding of yarn from the twisting pot to the yarn take-up means.

More specifically, the elements of the invention include yarn direction switch means associated with the twisting pot, selectively, in a first mode, for receiving yarn from the yarn input means and directing the yarn to the twisting pot and, in a second mode, for receiving yarn from the twisting pot and directing it to the yarn take-up means, together with yarn severing means located between the yarn input means and the yarn direction switch means. For operating such elements, the invention further provides control means operable to operate the yarn severing means to sever yarn extending from the yarn input means to the twisting pot and to operate the yarn direction switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending from the twisting pot to the yarn take-up means.

In a twister frame or the like of the type having one or more twisting units each including a pair of alternately functioning twisting pots, the invention further provides that the yarn feeding means thereof alternate the feeding of yarn from the yarn input means into one of the twisting pots while simultaneously feeding yarn from the other of the twisting pots to the yarn take-up means, including, as an additional element, pot selection switch means for receiving yarn from the yarn input means and directing it selectively toward one or the other of said twisting pots. With the dual pot unit, the control means is further operable in a first position to operate the yarn severing means to sever yarn extending from the pot selection switch means to one of the twisting pots, to operate the yarn direction switch means associated with said one twisting pot to direct the severed end of yarn extending from said one twisting pot to the yarn take-up means, and to operate the pot selection switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending therefrom to the other twisting pot. It is operable in the opposite sense in a second position to operate the yarn severing means to sever yarn extending from the pot selection switch means to the other of the twisting pots, to operate the yarn direction switch means associated with said other twisting pot to direct the severed end of yarn extending from said other twisting pot to the yarn take-up means and to operate the pot selection switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending therefrom to said other twisting pot.

For the purpose of more fully explaining further objects and features of the invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, together with the accompanying drawing wherein is shown a somewhat diagrammatic front elevational view of the apparatus according to the invention.

In the drawing is shown a portion of a spinning or twister frame having one or more twisting units, one only of which is shown in the drawing. Each of such units ineludes a yarn input means, which may be in the form of a pair of rotatable nip rolls 12, 14; a pair of twisting pot elements generally designated 20, 30; and yarn take-up means in the form of a traversing winder, generally designated 40. The twisting pots 21, 31 are rotatably mounted on a pot rail 16 mounted on the machine frame. Yarn feeding tubes 22, 32, for each of pots 21, 31 respectively, are of telescopic construction with the outer telescopic elements 122, 132 thereof mounted on traversing bar 126 by electrically actuated releasable clamps 123, 133 for generally vertical traversing movement of the yarn feeding tubes 22, 32, relatively to their pots 21, 31 for winding yarn, as is shown in dotted lines with respect to pot 21. Clamps 125, 13 5, also electrically actuated, are provided for releasably holding said tubes stationary in their uppermost position as is shown with respect to pot 31. Suitable power means, not shown, are provided for rotating pots 21, 31 within their surrounding enclosures 23, 33. The traversing winder 40 includes a generally horizontal rotatable spindle 41 carrying -a bobbin 42 having around its periphery at its base end a plurality ofya-rn catching hooks 43. For traversing yarn fed thereto through flexible yarn exit tube 44 to wind yarn on bobbin 42 as shown at 45, the end of exit tube 44 adjacent bobbin 42 is mounted on traversing bar 18 mounted on the frame for generally horizontal traversing movement.

According to the invention, the novel yarn feeding means for alternating the feeding of yarn from rolls 12, 14 into one of the twisting pots while simultaneously feeding yarn from the other of the twisting pots to said yarn take-up means, preferably includes a plurality of electrically actuated pneumatic switches connected to a suitable source of air pressure, together with a plurality of electrically actuated yarn severing cutters, all connected by suitable yarn guiding tubes. Air suction can be substituted for air pressure if desired.

More specifically, such penumatic switches include first a pot selection switch generally designated 50 having, for receiving yarn from input rolls 12, 14, a yarn inlet passageway 51, with diverging yarn outlet passageways 52, 53 connected to the end of inlet passageway 51. Air inlet passages '54, 55 are provided axially alined with the ends of yarn outlet passageways 52, 53, respectively, for selectively diverting yarn into one or the other of said yarn outlet passageways, air pressure being selectively applied to said air inlet passage 54, 55 through air lines 56, 57, respectively, by means of electrically actuated air valves 58, 59,

respectively.

The pneumatic switchevalso include'a pair of yarn direction switches, gene-rally designated 60, 70, one of which is associated with each of the twisting pot elements 20, 30, each of said switches operating selectively in a first mode for receiving yarn from the pot selection switch 50 and directing said yarn into its pot and in a second mode for receiving yarn from its associated pot and directing it to winder 40. In order to accomplish this result, the yarn direction switches 60, 70 are provided with through yarn passageways 62, 72, respectively, and side branch passageways 64, 74, respectively, from straight through yarn passageways 62, 72, respectively, in effect providing a passageway for feeding yarn into the twisting pot and another passageway for feeding yarn from the twisting pot. Air inlet passages 66, 76 are provided axially aligned with the ends of branch passageways 64, 74, respectively, for selectively diverting yarn from the through passageways into the branch passageways by means of air pressure selectively applied to said air inlet passages 66, 76 through air lines 67, 77, respectively, and valves 58, 59, respectively.

Through passageways 62, 72 are connected at their inlet ends to yarn outlet passageways 52, 53, respectively, by yarn guiding tubes 68, 78, respectively, and at their outlet ends to yarn feeding tubes 22, 32 respectively. Branch passageways 64, 74 are connected through yarn conveying tubes 69, '79 to branch connector block 46 having its inlet passageways 47, 48 to which tubes 69, 79 are connected, in turn connected to its single outlet passageway 49 to which flexible outlet tube 44 is attached.

In yarn guiding tubes 68, 78 are provided electrically actuated yarn severing knives 80, 90 located between pot selection switch 50 and each of the yarn direction switches 60, 70, said knives being enclosed within a suitable airtight housing 81, 91 and movable by electrical actuators 82, 92, respectively, from an inoperative position removed from said yarn for free passage thereof through the yarn guiding tube past its knife to an operable position within the tube effective to sever yarn passing through tube 68 or 78.

For operating clamps 123, 12-5, 133 and 135, knife actuators 82, 92 and air valves 58, 59, an electrical control is provided in the form of a single-pole double-throw switch having its switch arm 101 connected to battery 102, one of its terminals 103 connected to clamps 125 and 133, to knife actuator 82 and to air valve 58 and the other of its terminals 104 connected to clamps 135 and 1-23, knife actuator 92 and air valve 59.

In operation, with electric control switch 100 set with its switch arm 101 in contact with switch contact 104, clamp 123 is clamped and clamp 125 is open so that yarn feeding tube 22, as shown in dotted lines, is traversing with bar 126, clamp 135 is clamped and clamp 133 open so that yarn feeding tube 32 is stationary as clamped in its upper position. Knife 90 is in its operative position, knife 80 is in its inoperative position and air valve 59 is open to pressurize both air passage 55 of pot selection switch 50 and air passage 76 of yarn direction switch 70, the air to passage 66 of yarn direction switch 60 being turned off since air valve 58 is closed. Yarn is being moved with the air flow from pot selection switch 50 through its yarn passageway 52, along guide tube 68, past knife 80, straight through passageway 62 of yarn direction switch 60 and into yarn feeding tube 22 for deposit in layers on the inner surface of twisting pot 21 due to the rotation of said pot and the traversing movement of the end of yarn feeding tube 22 relatively thereto. At the same time, yarn unwound from the other pot 31 is being carried through stationary yarn feeding tube 32 into yarn direction switch 70 and there being diverted into switch branch passageway 74 by reason of air pressure applied to passage 76 of said switch. From branch passageway 74 the yarn is carried through yarn conveying tube 79, connector block 46, and into traversing outlet tube 44 for winding on rotating bobbin 42.

To alternate the function of the pots, in one direction so that twisting is carried out in pot 31 and unwinding in pot21, swgch arm 101 is moved to its contact 103, as

shown in dotted hires at in tmdrawin'g atthrtime traversing bar 126 is in its uppermost position as shown.

When this occurs, the control system functions to operate clamp to clamp yarn feeding tube 22 in its uppermost stationary position, to operate clamp 133 to traverse yarn feeding tube 32, to operate yarn serving knife 80 to sever the yarn extending past it from pot selection switch 50 to yarn direction switch 70 and thence into twisting pot 21. At the same time, air valve 59 is turned off and air valve 58 turned on. This operates yarn direction switch 60, by applying air pressure to its passage 66 to direct the severed end of yarn, extending upwardly of yarn direction switch 60 from twisting pot 21, into branch passageway 64 of yarn direction switch 60 and thence through connector block 46 into tube 44 to winder 40 where it is caught up on bobbin hooks 43 and wound on bobbin 42. The turning on of air valve 58 simultaneously functions to operate pot selection switch 50 to direct the end of yarn severed by knife 80 and extending downwardly through its outlet passageway 52 into its other outlet passageway 53 by reason of the application of air pressure to its air passage 54 by said valve. This results in the yarn being carried by the air flow along tube 78, past knife 90 now in its inoperative position because its actuator 92 was turned olf when switch arm 101 was moved from contact 104, straight through air direction switch 70 since the air to its passage 76 is off and thence into traversing yarn feeding tube 32 for deposit on the inner surface of twisting pot 31.

To alternate the function of the pots in the other direction, switch arm 101 is moved to its contact 104, so that the control system functions in the opposite sense from that above described to reverse the functions of clamps 123, 125, 133 and 135, to operate knife 90 to sever the yarn at that point, to operate selection switch 50 to direct the incoming end of the yarn to pot 21, and to operate yarn direction switch 70 to direct the severed end of yarn extending from pot 31 to winder 40.

Various modifications of the invention, within the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in this art.

What is claimed is: 1. In a twister frame or the like having a twisting unit including yarn input means, a twisting pot and yarn take-up means that improvement which consists of yarn feeding means for alternating the feeding of yarn from said yarn input means into said twisting pot and the feeding of yarn from said twisting pot to said yarn take-up means, comprising:

yarn direction switch means associated with said pot selectively in a first mode for receiving yarn from said yarn input means and directing said yarn to said pot and in a second mode for receiving yarn from said pot directing said yarn to said yarn take-up means yarn severing means located between said yarn input means and said yarn direction switch means and control means operable to operate said yarn serving means to sever yarn extending from said yarn input means to said pot and to operate said yarn direction switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending from said pot to said yarn take-up means. 2. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yarn direction switch means is pneumatic. 3. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pneumatic switch means has a passageway for feeding yarn from said input means into said twisting pot a passageway for feeding yarn from said twisting pot to said yarn take-up means and air flow means for selectively directing yarn into one or the other of said passageways. 4. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 3 further including an enclosed pneumatic yarn guiding tube for receiving yarn from said yarn input means and delivering it to said pneumatic switch means and wherein said yarn serving means is located in said yarn guiding tube. 5. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 4 wherein said yarn severing means is a knife having an operative position within said yarn guiding tube to sever yarn passing therethrough and an inoperative position removed from said yarn for free passage thereof through said yarn guiding tube past said knife. 6. In a twister frame or the like having a twisting unit including yarn input means a pair of twisting pots and yarn take-up means that improvement which consists of yarn feeding means for alternating the feeding of yarn from said yarn input means into one of said twisting pots while simultaneously feeding yarn from the other of said twisting pots to said yarn take-up means, comprising: 1

pot selection switch means for receiving yarn from said yarn input means and directing said yarn selectively toward one or the other of said twisting pots yarn direction switch means associated with each of said pots selectively in a first mode for receiving yarn from said pot selection switch means and directing said yarn to said pot and in a second mode for receiving yarn from its associated twisting pot and directing said yarn to said yarn take-up means yarn severing means located between said pot slection switch means and each of said yarn direction switch means and control means operable in one position to operate said yarn severing means to sever yarn extending from said pot selection switch means to one of said twisting pots, to operate said yarn direction switch means associated with said one twisting pot to direct the severed end of yarn extending from said one twisting pot to said yarn take-up means and to operate said pot selection switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending therefrom to said other twisting pot and operable in another position to operate said yarn severing means to sever yarn extending from said pot selection switch means to the other of said twisting pots, to operate said yarn direction switch means associated with said other twisting pot to direct the severed end of yarn extending from said other twisting pot to said yarn take-up means and to operate said pot selection switch means to direct the severed end of yarn extending therefrom to said other twisting pot. 7. In a twister frame of the like as claimed in claim 6 wherein said pot selection switch means and yarn direction switch means are pneumatic. 8. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pot selection switch means has a passageway for feeding yarn from said yarn input means to one of said pneumatic switch means and air flow means for selectively directing yarn into one or the other of said passageways and each of said pneumatic switch means has a passageway for feeding yarn from said pot selection switch means into said twisting pot a passageway for feeding yarn from said twisting pot to said yarn take-up means and air flow means for selectively directing yarn into one or the other of said passageways. 9. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 8 further including a pair of enclosed pneumatic yarn guiding tubes for receiving yarn independently from each of said pot selection switch passageways and delivering it to said penumatic switch means and wherein said yarn severing means is located in each of said yarn guiding tubes. 10. In a twister frame or the like as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said yarn severing means is a knife having an operative position within said yarn guiding tube to sever yarn passing therethrough and an inoperative position removed from said yarn for free passage thereof through said yarn guiding tube past said knife.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,403 12/1946 Jackson etal 57-157x 3,111,804 11/1963 Beyer 57-76 3,217,483 11/1965 Kato et al. 57-76 FOREIGN PATENTS 656,605 1/196-3 Canada.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TWISTER FRAME OR THE LIKE HAVING A TWISTING UNIT INCLUDING YARN INPUT MEANS, A TWISTING POT AND YARN TAKE-UP MEANS THAT IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR ALTERNATING THE FEEDING OF YARN FROM SAID YARN INPUT MEANS INTO SAID TWISTING POT AND THE FEEEDING OF YARN FROM SAID TWISTING POT TO SAID YARN TAKE-UP MEANS, COMPRISING: YARN-DIRECTION SWITCH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID POT-SELECTIVELY IN A FIRST MODE FOR RECEIVING YARN FROM SAID YARN INPUT MEANS AND DIRECTING SAID YARN TO SAID POT AND IN A SECOND MODE FOR RECEIVING YARN FROM SAID POT DIRECTING SAID YARN TO SAID YARN TAKE-UP MEANS YARN SEVERING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID YARN INPUT MEANS AND SAID YARN DIRECTION SWITCH MEANS AND CONTROL MEANS OPERABLE TO OPERATE SAID YARN SERVING MEANS TO SEVER YARN EXTENDING FROM SAID YARN INPUT MEANS TO SAID POT AND TO OPERATE SAID YARN DIRECTION SWITCH MEANS TO DIRECT THE SEVERED END OF YARN SWITCH MEANS TO SAID POT TO SAID YARN TAKE-UP MEANS.
 6. IN A TWISTER FRAME OF THE LIKE HAVING A TWISTING UNIT INCLUDING YARN INPUT MEANS A PAIR OF TWISTING POTS AND YARN TAKE-UP MEANS THAT IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF YARN FEEDING MEANS FOR ALTERNATING THE FEEDING OF YARN FROM SAID YARN INPUT MEANS INTO ONE OF SAID TWISTIN POTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY FEEDING YARN FROM THE OTHER OF SAID TWISTING POTS TO SAID YARN TAKE-UP MEANS, COMPRISING: POT SELECTION SWITCH MEANS FOR RECEIVING YARN FROM SAID YARN INPUT MEANS AND DIRECTING SAID YARN SELECTIVELY TOWARD ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID TWISTING POTS YARN DIRECTION SWITCH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID POTS SELECTIVELY IN A FIRST MODE FOR RECEIVING YARN FROM SAID POT SELECTION SWITCH MEANS AND DIRECTING SAID YARN TO SAID POT AND IN A SECOND MODE FOR RECEIVING YARN FROM ITS ASSOCIATED TWISTING POT AND DIRECTING SAID YARN TO SAID YARN TAKE-UP MEANS 